McDonald’s Puts Trans Fats on Endangered Species List

McDonald’s has switched to cooking french fries in oils free of trans fats in all restaurants in the United States and Canada. Jim Skinner, Chief Executive of the restaurant chain, said that by the end of the year, McDonald’s pies and other baked goods will be trans fats-free, as well.

Trans fats can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The consumption of trans fats increases the risk of coronary heart disease.

McDonald’s was one of the first chains to say it would stop using the fats in its cooking several years ago, but has been slow to make the change, according to Reuters. Wendy’s fast food restaurants switched to trans fat-free cooking in 2006, KFC and Taco Bell chains switched over last year, and Burger King has promised to switch to trans fat-free cooking by the end of 2008.

The switch to healthier cooking oils seems to be part of a nationwide movement as health officials attempt to hold restaurants accountable for providing accurate nutritional information and healthy choices to customers.

In recent years, New York City and Philadelphia became the first U.S. cities to ban restaurants from serving foods with trans fats, and earlier this month, New York City health officials began citing chain restaurants that did not comply with a new law requiring them to post calorie counts on their menus. Other cities are talking about adopting similar laws.

McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food chain, began the switch over to trans fat-free cooking over the past few months, Skinner said at the company’s annual meeting. By year’s end, all food served at the restaurant, including baked goods, will be made without trans fats, he said.

Some restaurateurs were not happy about New York City’s 2006 ban of trans fats in restaurants, reported USA Today. “I expect this opens the door to caffeine, sugar, salt, alcohol, whole milk and any other ingredients these lunatics want to attack,” says Rick Berman of the Center for Consumer Freedom, a group financed by the restaurant and food industry. Following the ban, other cities, including Philadelphia, Seattle, Washington and Boston began looking at similar laws.

Earlier this month, New York City’s health department began issuing citations to chain restaurants not complying with a new law requiring them to post calorie counts on their menus and menu boards. “Oh man, I never would have guessed it was that much,” said Brooklyn resident Saby Rodriquez of the cookie calorie counts at Starbucks, some of which reach as high as 600 calories. “It definitely discourages me from buying.”

The FDA explains trans fats and other fats on their Web site. Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil—a process called hydrogenation, according to the site. Starting in January, 2006, listing of trans fats on all food labels was made a requirement by the FDA.